PRINTER'S NO. 3524
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2161
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, SAYLOR, ROEBUCK, HARHAI, COHEN, SCHWEYER,
DRISCOLL, O'BRIEN, SAMUELSON, GIBBONS, BRIGGS, MILLARD,
MACKENZIE, BARRAR, KAVULICH, PASHINSKI, MASSER, McNEILL,
BRADFORD, O'NEILL, READSHAW AND D. COSTA, JUNE 15, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 15, 2016
AN ACT
Establishing the Governor's Schools of Excellence.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Governor's
Schools of Excellence Act.
Section 2. Legislative intent.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish the
permanent operation of the Governor's Schools of Excellence in
order to afford students of all socioeconomic backgrounds the
opportunity to pursue in-depth and advanced studies in fields
that may include, but are not limited to, agricultural sciences,
engineering and technology, sciences or arts.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Governor's School of Excellence." A school established by
the department under section 5.
"Host site." The college or university within this
Commonwealth where a Governor's School of Excellence is located.
"Program." The Governor's Schools of Excellence Program.
Section 4. Governor's Schools of Excellence Program.
The Governor's Schools of Excellence Program is established
within the department.
Section 5. Duties of department.
(a) Disciplines.--To the extent funding is appropriated by
the General Assembly for the purpose, the department shall
establish at least five Governor's Schools of Excellence at host
sites throughout this Commonwealth in disciplines that may
include any of the following:
(1) Agricultural sciences.
(2) Engineering and technology.
(3) Sciences.
(4) Arts.
(5) Other disciplines determined by the department.
(b) Locations.--
(1) Governor's Schools of Excellence may be sponsored by
and located at host sites designated by the department.
(2) The department shall designate host sites on a
competitive basis, based upon criteria to be determined by
the department and published on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website.
(3) In order to be designated by the department, the
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host site shall provide at least 50% of the cost to operate
its Governor's School of Excellence.
(4) Host sites designated by the department shall be
geographically dispersed throughout the Commonwealth.
(c) Administration.--In administering the program, the
department shall do all of the following:
(1) Make student applications available to every public
and nonpublic school in this Commonwealth and include the
application on the department's publicly accessible Internet
website.
(2) Ensure that each Governor's School of Excellence is
utilizing a process whereby students are selected on the
basis of their performance and achievement through a
competitive selection process and seek to ensure an
economically, socially and geographically diverse student
population.
(3) Ensure the Governor's School of Excellence complies
with subsection (e), enabling all qualified students the
opportunity to enroll in the program regardless of their
economic circumstances.
(d) Scheduling.--Governor's Schools of Excellence shall be
held, to the extent possible, during the summer months between
the end and the beginning of the school year. The department may
grant permission for a school to be held at other times during
the school year when circumstances and programming options
warrant such a change.
(e) Costs.--Students attending a Governor's School of
Excellence shall not be required to pay any tuition or fees to
attend and participate in a Governor's School of Excellence.
Students are responsible for their own costs relating to
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transportation to and from the school.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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